The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 eBook

Having said this much, the king, with eyes laved with
tears, became silent, O monarch, agitated as he was
with agony. Beholding the king in tears and grief,
Drona’s son flamed up in anger like the fire
that is seen at the universal destruction. Overwhelmed
with rage, he squeezed his hand and addressing the
king in a voice hoarse with tears, he said these words,
“My sire was slain by those wretches with a cruel
contrivance. That act, however, doth not burn
me so keenly as this plight to which thou hast been
reduced, O king! Listen to these words of mine
that I utter, swearing by Truth itself, O lord, and
by all my acts of piety, all my gifts, my religion,
and the religious merits I have won. I shall today,
in the very presence of Vasudeva, despatch all the
Pancalas, by all means in my power, to the abode of
Yama? It behoveth thee, O monarch, to grant me
permission!” Hearing these words of Drona’s
son, that were highly agreeable to his heart, the
Kuru king addressing Kripa, said, “O preceptor,
bring me without delay a pot full of water!”
At these words of the king, that foremost of Brahmanas
soon brought a vessel full of water and approached
the king. Thy son then, O monarch, said unto Kripa,
“Let the son of Drona, O foremost of Brahmanas,
(blessed be thou), be at my command installed as generalissimo,
if thou wishest to do me the good! At the command
of the king, even a Brahmana may fight, specially one
that has adopted Kshatriya practices! Those learned
in the scriptures say this!” Hearing these words
of the king, Kripa, the son of Saradwat, installed
Drona’s son as generalissimo, at the king’s
command! The installation over, O monarch, Ashvatthama
embraced that best of kings and left the spot, having
caused the ten points to resound with his leonine
roars. That foremost of kings, Duryodhana, profusely
covered with blood, began to pass there that night
so frightful to all creatures. Wending away quickly
from the field of battle, O king, those heroes, with
hearts agitated by grief, began to reflect anxiously
and earnestly.’”

The End of Shalya-parva.

The Mahabharata

of

Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa

BOOK 10

Sauptika-parva

Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text

by

Kisari Mohan Ganguli

[1883-1896]

Scanned and Proofed by Mantra Caitanya. Additional
proofing and formatting at sacred-texts.com, by J.
B. Hare, October 2003.

1

Om! Having bowed down unto Narayana, and Nara
the most exalted of male beings, and unto the goddess
Sarasvati, must the word Jaya be uttered!